Peter Green reviews ‘The Melbourne Monologues’

In its third year, ‘The Melbourne Monologues’ proved popular with audiences at La Mama Courthouse. All reviews can be found at https://melbournewriterstheatre.org.au/2017-melbourne-monologues/ In the meantime, here is a transcript of the review written by Peter Green, presenter of ‘Arts Weekly’ on 3MBS-FM.

To the Carlton Courthouse Tuesday night, to the Melbourne Writers’ Theatre production THE MELBOURNE MONOLOGUES – 6 writers, 6 monologues; and six actors; one director/designer, Elizabeth Walley.

From Katie Lee, performed by Ruth Katerelos, ‘To Understand’. A monologue, thus, a story, that attempts the O’Henry twist or revelation that unfortunately fails – the character had long signalled the obvious. ‘No Feet’, well written, and delivered with an assurance and comic chagrin by Alec Gilbert from Carmen Saarelaht’s pen – “alien feet syndrome” – a new one on me! The upswing continued with a delightful “Girls’ School Delights” given a very talented performance from Cosima Gilbert, who juggled 5 characters very successfully in an expose of the contemporary classroom where, in the current insanity of “entitlement”, the inmates run the asylum. Very knowing writing from Adele Shelley. Bruce Shearer’s ‘Garry’ is well carried by Jack McGorlick, who “honoured the work” (with apologies to Hogarth). This apprentice’s hatred of “nothing happens Tuesdays” and digging shit pits – the sharply written text is a good foundation for Jack’s performance. All the way from Adelaide, Anita Sanders (who came across for Opening night) with her noir internet scam piece “The Bystander is the Gatekeeper’ with Karissa Taylor as protagonist. I thought with development the piece could become a computer thriller – a 39 Steps to Encryption? “Fairydust” – the final work in ‘The Melbourne Monologues’; from Louise Baxter and performed with beautiful stillness and understating by Celia Handscombe The title refers to the free-floating deadly particles of blue asbestos – but the centre of the piece is a family story.